Take the real state of the ministers of the Romish church into consideration, and their merit, as a body of men, must wring at least approbation from the most unwilling. Until very lately, indeed, the total interdiction of a Romish seminary in Ireland, drove the students in divinity into foreign colleges, where they could pursue unpersecuted their education and the ceremonials incident on the assumption of the sacred character. This process was a conflict with poverty, or at best with very narrow means, which their occasional exile rendered less competent; and it was seldom, that to enlarge and liberalise the course of education, by mixing general knowledge with theological studies, was within the power of the candidate for holy orders. Whatever may be the unprofitable boast of blood or ancestry, the Irish, in the foreign seminaries, were, for the most part, of poor parents; the heraldry of antient lineage having given way to the severities of fortune. On their return to their native country, this patrimonial poverty was not much diminished by those who had even the success of an immediate revenue from their priesthood. They, of all men, do not eat the bread of idleness. Their parishes are extensive, their parishioners numerous. Their religion is full of rituals; and their perpetual employment, in going from place to place, as they are summoned by the incidental calls of devotion, added to the regular celebration of religious rites, commonly gives a parish priest in Ire land a life of restless occupation. Yet among men so helplessly circumstanced, whose early life has been vexed by the enmity of the laws, and whose maturer time is so unrequited by the little pittance picked up from a scattered and impoverished flock-men who have been accustomed to see their order opulent and venerated in other countries, poor and despised in their own, the Romish pastors exhibit the inVariable tenor of propriety, decorum, and moral conduct.' We strongly recommend this little tract to the readers of Sir R. Musgrave's work. It is written in a lively and energetic manner: but we cannot compliment the author as manifesting that chaste simplicity of style, which is the last attainment of refined and cultivated genius. His pretensions, however, are of a higher kind than those which are merely literary; they are connected with social happiness, and with the welfare and prosperity of this great empire; and these are pretensions which no wellwisher to either will dispute. Art. 29. The Reply of the Right Rev. Doctor Caulfield, Roman Catholic Bishop, and of the Roman Catholic Clergy of Wexford, to the Misrepresentations of Sir Richard Musgrave, Bart. with a Preface and Appendix. 8vo. Pamphlet, Dublin.-Keating, Lon don. 1801. We congratulate these reverend Gentlemen on the satisfactory vindication of themselves which they here submit to the public. It is able, temperate, and becoming. Their professions are loyal, and their sentiments constitutional: we are not disposed to call either in question, nor do we see any reason for so doing. The observations made in the extract underneath we regard as just, and the declarations as deserving of credit : • Wex Jo. • Wexford, May 12, 1801. At a meeting of the Roman Catholic Clergymen residing in the Convent of Wexford, a book entitled, "A History of the Rebellions, &c." published in the name of, and said to be written by, Sir Rich ard Musgrave, Bart. being taken into consideration, the following Declarations were unanimously adopted: • We most solemnly declare in the face of heaven and in the awful presence of God, that we disclaim and disavow the horrid principles in said book attributed to us, as Roman Catholics; principles, which though often disavowed with horror and detestation, we are sorry to find unrelenting bigotry and prejudice still labour to attach to us: and we can consider the unfounded and malicious assertions with which said publication is replete, as tending only to sever the bonds of society, to irritate one part of the community against the other, and to perpetuate those deplorable animosities that would disgrace even savages, and have too long distracted this country. We most solemnly declare, that far from promoting or conniving at the horrid and atrocious murder of Protestants in the late detestable rebellion, we have on the contrary used every effort in our power (often at the risk of our own lives amidst a drunken and infuriated rabble) to save both their persons and property-that we flew to their assistance when called on-that we furnished them with every succour, and every means of safety our limited abilities enabled us to do, during that melancholy period. We most solemnly declare, that it is a vile and cruel calumny to: assert that we had any authority over the rebels, except what prayers, supplications, and entreaties could obtain; and which, we are sorry to say, were generally ineffectual.' The Appendix contains various documents. Jo. i Art. 30. A Sketch of the Character of the late most Noble Francis Duke This tribute to the memory of a really Noble' character, from the lips of a truly eminent man and discriminating judge of men, will be read with much sympathy by all whom great public worth and the loss of that worth can interest. This is, indeed, laudari à laudato viro! If it manifests some of the redundancies which often attend Mr. Fox's cloquence, and some of that want of method which usually marks a public speech, it displays the feeling which characterizes the HEART, and the simple pathos which denotes the taste, of him who pronounced it. The plain and obvious remark, that the Duke died unmarried, was thus beautifully turned and illustrated: If his condition was that of celibacy, it was only so in one sense, namely, that he has left behind him no children to lament his untin.ely end, and to imitate his brilliant example. But if all those are to be considered as our children whom we cherished and protected, whom we have rendered happy by our good offices, and whom we have bound to us by all the ties of affection and gratitude, no man ever had a family more numerous, or was more piously mourned; for he he watched over the cares, and administered to the wants of those who came within the sphere of his benevolence, whether they were his relations, his friends, or his attendants, with all the providence and all the feelings of a father.' The speech appears here to be copied from the report given in the Morning Chronicle.-Lest there should be any inaccuracy or deficiency in it, (which however we do not suspect,) we wish that Mr. Fox had himself presented it to the world from the press. Of a character, of which the grand feature is here truly said to have been an unbounded zeal for UTILITY, too impressive a delineation cannot be formed, nor can such a portrait be too widely contemplated. This additional trouble from Mr. Fox would be perfectly consistent with the principle of his apology to the House, for taking so unusual an opportunity of strewing a few flowers over the grave' of his lamented friend: It is (said he) for the sake of impressing his great example on the public; it is that men may see it, that they may feel it, that they may talk of it in their domestic circles, and hold it up, wherever it can be imitated, to the imitation of their children, and of posterity.' We wish the most unbounded operation to such an example, and the complete support of that sanction to it which must be derived from the great name of the Eulogist. Art. 31. A Memoir of Transactions that took place in St. Domingo in I retired to the American hotel, and was introduced to the table d'hote-to behold for the first time a perfect system of equality! In the Here were officers and privates, the general and the fifer, at the same table indiscriminately. Here also Toussaint dined, but did not take the head of the table, from the idea (I was informed) that no man should be invested with superiority but in the field. evening I went to the billiard table, where Toussaint also came. Much hilarity prevailed, and his affability highly increased the satisfaction of the company. I played with him, and found nothing to dissipate the pleasure which the novelty of the scene inspired. There were several tables in the same room, at which all played with the same familiarity with which they dined. G.2. I was here informed that a review was to take place on the fol lowing day, in the plain of the Cape; and desirous of being present at such a spectacle, I was accompanied by some Americans, and others of my own country who resided in the island under that appellation. There were two thousand officers out, generals and ensigns, all carrying arms-yet with the utmost regularity and attention to rank-none of that disregard which had marked the leisure of the preceding day being the least evident. Each general officer had a demi-brigade, which went through the manual exercise with a degree of expertness I had seldom before witnessed, and they performed excellently well several manoeuvres applicable to their method of fighting. At a whistle a whole brigade ran three or four hundred yards, and then, separating, threw themselves flat on the ground, changing to their backs and sides, and all the time keeping up a strong fire till recalled-after this they formed again into their wonted regularity; and this manoeuvre is executed with such facility and precision, as totally to prevent cavalry from charging them in bushy and hilly coun tries. Indeed, such complete subordination prevailed, so much promptness and dexterity, as must astonish an European who had known any thing of their previous situation.' Respecting the probable success of Bonaparte's armament now acting against St. Domingo, Captain B. says: I have more than once seen sixty thousand men reviewed, at one time, on the plains of the Cape, in complete subordination in the field, and whose united determination against an invading enemy, would be victory or death! No coercion is necessary among them, and it is of course unattempted; the only punishment inflicted, is a sense of shame produced by slight confinement. Amongst a people thus hardened into an orderly ferocity-trained from inclination-impenetrably fortified on the finest territory on earth, and next to inaccessible to external attack, what hopes are entertained of the success of the present armament I know not; but, whatever might be expected from a compromise with Toussaint, I feel perfectly convinced no other means will succeed in the subjugation of St. Domingo. United as are the blacks and mulattoes, fifty thousand men would ere long be dissipated in such an attempt; and if the number now sent against them could be found sufficient to effect a temporary conquest, what number of men would continue to keep them in subjection?" Of Toussaint, we have the following account: Toussaint l'Ouverture, the present Commandant of St. Domingo, is one of those characters, which contentions for power and the extention of territory, as well as the jars of individual interest have not infrequently introduced to astonish the World. Born a Slave, in which capacity he continued till the revolution, it is hostile to received opinions to consider him in any other light than as a fortunate Brigand; but chance has directed that the present writer should be constrained to acknowlege-he is worthy of imitation as a man-he excites admiration as a governor-and as a general, he is yet unsubdued without the probability of subjection! His re gard gard for the unfortunate appears the love of human kind; and, dreaded by different nations, he is the foe of none.-To the English He is by no means inimical, and, in possession of many of the bless ngs of humanity, he courts the acceptance of the world. He is a perfect black, at present about fifty-five years of age-of a venerable appearance, but possessed of uncommon discernment. Of great suavity of manners, he was not at all concerned in the perpetration of the massacres, or in the conflagration. He is stiled the General en Chef, and is always attended by four Aids-de Camp. He wears as a uniform, a kind of blue spencer, with a large red cape falling over his shoulders, and red cuffs, with eight rows of lace on his arms, and a pair of large gold epaulettes thrown, back on his shoulders; a scarlet waistcoat, pantaloons and halfboots; a round hat with a red feather and national cockade; and an extreme large sword is suspended from his side. He receives a voluntary respect from every description of his countrymen, which is more than returned by the affability of his behaviour, and the goodness of his heart. Of his civilities to mysel', I have sufficient reason to be proud. I met him frequently, during my stay in his dominions, and had no occasion of complaint, even from human errors.' Capt. B.'s good opinion of Toussaint seems to have lately received confirmation; and of the talents of that singular character, the world has lately been presented with some forcible evidence. CORRESPONDENCE. We were extremely surprised' at the receipt of a letter from 'A Well-wisher,' intended by the writer as a defence of expressions used by Mr. Belsham in his History, which that gentleman himself has condemned. Our censure must surely be considered as merited, when the object of it acknowleges its justice, and adds that many of his friends viewed the objectionable passages in the same light with ourselves. The expressions selected by our correspondent from Hume, Robertson, and Gibbon, are not in our opinion so reprehensible as those which we pointed out in Mr. Belsham's work; they rather convey censure on particular instances of conduct, than wear the appearance of personal asperity. It is to be remembered that, respecting the characters of Jeffries, Cardinal Beaton, and Theodoric, no difference of judgment exists; and their respective historians repeated only that censure which had been passed by the impartial voice of posterity. It will not be imagined that we are the advocates of Mr. Pitt, but let it be recollected that the measures of his administration are not universally blamed: he has not only his defenders, but even his eulogists; and sufficient time has not yet elapsed, to determine whether his opponents or his partizans have most reason on their side. We are not apprehensive of any well-grounded charge of deviation from those principles of civil and religious liberty, and of freedom of discussion on all subjects, which have ever distinguished our work. If G.2. |